i've seen joe sears deal with his crime. >> that hard work has paid off. he right to leave the isolated and restricted world of level six. today, he will be making the move up to level five. >> congratulations. >> kind of like getting a better opportunity, you know? >> there you go. that's what it's about. >> i'm kind of glad to be going. getting a chance to go over there, try to make the best of it on the next step. now you get a chance to see what you can do with it. yes, sir. >> no offense, but we don't want to see you back, you know what i mean? >> none taken. >> good deal. >> don't really want to see you either. >> he's been in level five a couple times. so i hope he makes it. with joe sears, it's the waiting game. only joe series knows if he can make it there or not. >> but sears' old reputation precedes him and not everybody is happy about the move. >> i personally have never had any problems with him. but i am concerned having him in my pod, in my unit. i've heard and i've seen other things that he's done to other officers, just verbally abusing the

joe vazquez. >>> a pillar of american retailing appears to be crumbling. the parent company of sears and kmart plans to close at least 100 stores. linda yee on why the 125-year- old retailer may be past its prime. >>> reporter: their customers, their base, the middle income population. and because of this tough economy, they are not spending as much money. so stores like sears and kmart, they're taking a big hit. >>> reporter: sears was where america shopped. >> not anymore. [ laughter ] >> america shops online. >> reporter: an industry analyst suspects sears middle income kisses miles an hour don't have the money to -- middle income customers don't have the moneyspend. they will close 120 stores including some kmart stores t needs to reduce costs by $200 million. this comes as a shock to faithful customershave relied on the sears brand for generations. >> we do all our major appliances, tv, washer, drier, refrigerator, everything, because they have good promotions where you can get things interest-free, which nobody does anymore. >> reporter: sears says it was the huge drop in appli

sears, and target. online sales of cut trees are still a fraction of the 27 million plus christmas trees expected to be purchased this year. i don't know, joeu feel like you've got to touch it and smell it and be a part of the process. >> i think the delivery dude will come in and decorate it too? >> i know. >> put these lights on it. >> outsource everything. >> exactly. there goes that tradition. stay with us now. "news 4 today" continues right now at 5:00 a.m. >>> a standoff between occupy d.c. protesters and police ends with several people being arrested. >> a new round of cutbacks at the post office could have a big effect o

sears >>> good morning. i am joe krebs. it's 7:26. we have breaking news. involving a ride on bus. >> if you are traveling westbound on honey branch road, your westbound lanes are blocked. you can see ambulances on the opposite side of the roadway. also, all your lanes are shut down. this is northbound dolly madison boulevard, and georgetown pike, lanes are blocked and you cannot access the main entrance to the >>> good morning. sunrise on the frosty cold friday morning. and we will have sun today but it's cold now, we're in the low to mid-20s throughout much >>> 7:30 now on this friday morning. it's the 9th day of december, 2011, as we check out the view from our camera at the top of the rock on what is the first clear morning here in new york city in several days. and that's putting a big smile on the face of everyone gathered in rockefeller plaza down below as they greet their families and friends back home. we'll bet be getting out there soon. inside studio 1a, by the way, i'm ann curry in for matt this morning. >> and smiling because of the weather. >>